Hamilton hails ‘future star’ Bearman after dazzling debut
Now can Brit, 18, snap up Haas seat?
LEWIS HAMILTON lauded ‘phenomenal’ Ollie Bearman as a ‘future star’ after the British teenager completed a dream 24 hours by securing points on his Formula One debut for Ferrari.
Bearman was a last-minute replacement for Carlos Sainz and after qualifying 11th, made up four places in Saturday’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix to finish seventh — two positions ahead of Mercedes’ seven-time world champion Hamilton.
Hamilton applauded Bearman, who had been set to compete in Formula Two in Jeddah, as he drove past him after the race and then waited by his Ferrari to embrace the 18-year-old, who became the youngest British F1 driver when he took to the track.
Hamilton, 21 years older than his fellow Brit, said: ‘To be pulled out of your class and put straight into a Ferrari, he did such a phenomenal job.
‘It has showed he is a really bright future star.’
Following appendix surgery, Sainz was back in the paddock for Saturday’s race. Ferrari expect the 29-year-old Spaniard, who will next year make way for Hamilton at the scarlet team, to be back in his cockpit for the Australian Grand Prix in a fortnight’s time.
Bearman was thrust into the spotlight after just two practice run-outs for Ferrari’s B team Haas last season — but his showing under the lights may help fast-track his progression to the big time.
Although a full-time seat at Ferrari is not on the cards for 2025, both Haas drivers Kevin Magnussen, 31, and Nico Hulkenberg, 36, are out of contract at the end of the season.
And George Russell, who finished one place ahead of Bearman, said: ‘I fully expect to see him on the grid next year, or the one after.
‘He did an amazing job, coming in at a circuit like this which is extremely difficult.
‘He exceeded everybody’s expectations and he caught a lot of people by surprise. He clearly had confidence from the off to push the car to the limit.’
Away from Bearman’s impressive debut, Mercedes endured another disappointing evening.
Russell and Hamilton crossed the line 40 and 47 seconds behind Max Verstappen, who stormed to his second win of the season and ninth in a row stretching back to last year.
‘There is something we need to spot and unlock and it is not by a lack of trying,’ said Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff.
‘We push so hard and we are going to give it a massive go in the next week to come back to Melbourne stronger. I am 100 per cent sure we are going to unlock that performance gap.
‘I’ve changed my mindset, I don’t think additional pressure on us makes it better.
‘I can see the buzz in the organisation. You feel down but we are trying to turn that into motivation. That is why we believe we can turn it around, I am 100 per cent sure we can.’